it's aLiVE! the FrankenFlightjacket

[johnnyjohnny]

i'm hoping i didn't create a FrankenFlightjacket, and respect the opinions here enough to garner some of them...

what i did was to take a uswings.com g-2, which is pretty nice (not a replica in the hard core sense, but really a sharp jacket) except for what i considered was the floppy collar...

i am a big fan of the a-2, as most here are, but mostly the 'collar stand' version, which is available in just a few rare replica models...most a-2s to my mind have rather long collars except for the collar stand models, somewhat extending down too far on the jacket body for me (except for the collar stand models, i think)

the g-2's collars go off to the sides rather than down, and the one i had a collar a bit larger and flappier than to my tastes, so, i have had snaps put on them (a-2 style) so the collar looks like an a-2 'collar stand' model...

the result has indeed been an a-2 collar on a g-2 jacket, the g-2 jacket being basically the g-1 without the fur collar...the other main difference from the a-2 being a lack of epaulets

despite our actual guys in ww2 doing all sorts of ad hoc changes on their issued a-2s, i'm wondering if my hybrid g-2/a-2 is considered some mutant monster by those here...i know all that matters is what i think since i am wearing it, but i'm curious...the jacket is not a mixture of parts, like frankie the monster was, but has only had snaps added to the collar in the proper fashion, and so i wear it with the collar snapped...

is this a simply wrong act to perform on an historic style jacket? tacky, cheesey, or considered more legit, somewhat like choosing to wear a collar up rather than down...

rather anal question i'm sure, but i am curious...

 

[bfrench]

Pictures speak thousands of words - how about posting some.

Also reapply to the Vintage Leather Jackets forum at

http://cornellsurgery.com/phpBB3

Bill French

 

[johnnyjohnny]

roger that on the a-2/g-2

see if i can get some pix after the holiday, but it's just a g-2 with an a-2 collar...had it done at barini leather in studio city, pretty expert...the only thing different is that the collar points go down as far as what i consider the snappier looking a-2s, meaning not so far down on the jacket that they look like inverted mountains...kind of the best of both worlds, if you wish to blend worlds...i didn't originally, but it was the only way to get a little less drastic downward collar that many of the a-2s seem to have...

will try for those pix (not that many forum-goers seem that interested) and will reapply

thanks, johnnyjohnny

 

[Edward]

From what I've read about field modifications (adding hand warmer pockets, bomber art, occasional removal of stretched cuffs and so on), altering the collar in the way you describe seems no more extreme than stuff that was done in the field. By all accounts the military were less strict on maintaining the details of uniform as issued back then than they would be today, so it all seems plausible to me that this is a modification that could have been done at the time if historical correctness is important to you. Sounds like a sharp jacket.

 

[johnnyjohnny]

encouragement encouraging

thanks for the encouragement that such a modification as adding snaps is not tooooo extreme...i just didn't want to start hacking up a pretty authentically styled jacket, which this "g-2" is really...of course, using the g-2 moniker is risky with some as my other post on the g-2 showed some hostility in using that term (a term used on various websites like uswings.com, though in fact technically not correct as the navy's term was anj-3...army navy jacket 3, the jacket designed to replace the a-2 but never issued)

i know uswings does not seem to be too respected (in this forum) as a replicate maker, but more of following general patterns of jacket styles...however, there is some of their stuff that is good from an accuracy standpoint, one obviously being the current issue styles (like my g-1, another 'lay' term used on some websites, m-422a being the proper navy milspec number)...i have a current issue coast guard jacket "g-1" and it is wonderful...

this anj-3 (called a g-2 by uswings) is totally authentic to the style of this jacket from all historical pictures i've seen, though the jacket was designed to replace the a-2 but never issued...some replies to my other post on this jacket were so hot headed it was termed a 'wannabe' non-military jacket that was hyped by uswings and me, as if i was some shill for uswings...however, it is in fact the jacket designed to replace the a-2, and uswings' version is very accurate to all pics i've seen on ebay and the gibson-barnes site...

so i didn't want to muck it up with even something as innocuous as snaps, however the snaps do get rid of the anj-3's major problem as far as i was concerned, the flappy clown collar, turning the collar into tight a-2 style, and leaving the rest of the jacket the same as an m-422a...

anyway, thanks for supposing it to be a sharp jacket, i do think it is and will post some pics when i have some time to take them...

best, johnnyjohnny

 

[PADDY]

Once your project is finished.

I'm sure many of the members here will appreciate seeing some detailed photos of your 'conversion' on this jacket.

Also, nothing displays a jacket as well as being worn.

Look forward to those photographs.

 

[PADDY]

Circles.

We're going around in circles on this G2 thing. There's already been a thread on that with enough info to satisfy all interested. Case closed.

Also, NO ADVERTISING IN HERE, please. That's why we have a CLASSIFIEDS section (read the forum rules , thankyou).


Present day: We are now talking about your field modified jacket. Thanks to the good feedback of members, it's been confirmed that issued jackets and privately purchased jackets were modified and customised in the field.

Now, let's see some pics of this modified jacket of yours Johnny and showcase what you've made .

End of Day,..you have to wear it Johnny and that's 'frankly' what matters.

 

[Fletch]

We're going around in circles on this G2 thing. There's already been a thread on that with enough info to satisfy all interested. Case closed.

But not "thread closed"?

Also, NO ADVERTISING IN HERE, please.

What advertising? Did you delete something?